Emergency-plug for boiler-tubes.



A. T. ANDERSON.

EMERGENCY PLUG FOR BOILER TUBES. APPLICATION FILED rinmo, 1913.

1,085,519. Pa Jtented Jan. 27, 1914.

'WITJVE'SSESI c1 c l dfmiersan AXEL 'r. ANDERSON, or CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

EMERGENCY-PLUG roe BOILER-TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914:.

Application filed February 10, 1913. Serial N 0. 747,490.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AXEL T. ANDERSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Emergency-Plugs for Boiler-Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in emergency plug for boiler tubes, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of this character which may be readily and quickly inserted in a boiler tube for temporarily repairing the same to prevent leakage until proper and permanent repairs can be made.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for the insertion of the emergency plug. 7 i

The device described herewith is especially adapted for use on steam ships where it is necessary to make repairs quickly, so that the necessary amount of steam may be maintained for running the vessel to permit it to reach port without any great loss of time.

At the present day when a boiler tube springs a leak, it ordinarily takes 'twoormore men from two to four hours to make a temporary repair and if the vessel is one towing barges and the like, the loss of steam during this time prevents the use of the steam windlasses and anchor mechanism, thus it is often found necessary to drop-the barges until repairs can be made and this may cause the destruction of lives and property. I

In making temporary repairs at the present time, the ends of the broken tube are drawn together and this springs the crown plate and often injures other tub-es and causes them to leak but by the use of my improvement, a temporary repair can be made in a very few minutes, it having been accomplished in an actual test in a short time of three minutes without putting out the fire.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the artto which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail referring by numeral to the accompanying drawing held thereby. angles to Fig.

plug comprises three parts,

forming a part of this specification in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of the tool for placing the emergency plug in the boiler tube, showing how the emergency plug is Fig. 2, a similar View at right 1,. the emergency plug being removed. Fig. 3, an enlarged end View thereof, and F ig. 4, a perspective view of the emergency plug.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 represents the emergency plug which is cylindrical in shape and adapted to fit inside of a boiler tube, said emergency two semi-cylindrical members 8 and a wedge 4 whose width is equal to the diameter of the plug. Each of the semi-cylindrical members is reduced in size at one end forming a neck 5 and their inner faces are inclined from the neck to the opposite end so that when they are placed together, an opening 6 is formed, whose greatest width is at the'neck end.

, Whenthe emergency plug is to be placed in a boiler tube, the neck 5 is inserted between the jaws 7 of the tool, said" jaws being carried by and preferably formed integral with, the bars 8, which form the sides of the tool, said sides being held together by cross members 9, the latter carrying lugs 10 which pass through the sides or bars 8, said lugs having their ends headed' on the exterior of said sides8 in' order that the parts may be firmly held together. Any desired number of said cross members may be used and each has an opening 11 therein through which passes and in which'is slidably mounted the hammer 12, said hammer being of sufficient length to. reach the entire length of the tool and preferably extend a short distance beyond the end: of the tool.

In practice, when the tube in a boiler springs a leak, the tool is placed in that tube and as soon as the jaws 7 reach the point of the tube where the leak is located, the steamentering the tube will play against the jaws and produce a different sound, thus indicating to the, operator that the point of leakage has been reached by the tube and then a mark is made upon one of the sides 8, at a point adjacent the crown plate. The tool is then withdrawn and the emergency plug inserted between the jaws 7 "of the tool with the wedge 4 partly with drawn, so that the plug may be easily inserted in the tube. The sides 8 may be sprung apart because of their length from the jaws to the cross member 9, so that when the emergency plugis in the tool, the jaws will spring against the neck portion of the plug and frictionally hold said plug in place while being inserted in the boiler tube. The plug is moved into the tube the desired distance or until it covers the injured part, the correct point being indicated by the relation of the chalked point of the side 8'to the crown plate, the length of the emergency plug being allowed for, in the final adjustment. After the emergency plug has been placed in the desired posit-ion, the hammer 12 is moved backward and forward to drive the wedge home which will force the emergency plug snugly against the inner face of the tube and then the tool may be withdrawn from the tube. The Water and steam coming in contact with the emergency plug will cause the latter to expand, it being of wood, thus filling the break. s

Because the emergency plug is of wood, it would be supposed that said plug would burn out but this is not the case, since the tube is entirely closed thus shutting off the draft and no fire passes therethrough and since no further heat is supplied to the re paired tube, the water and steam surrounding the same will reduce its temperature.

Of course, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as here shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful,

1. In combination, an emergency plug for boiler tubes, consisting of two semi-cylindrical members having one end reduced in size to form a neck and having their inner faces formed on an angle, a wedge coacting with the semi-cylindrical members engaging the angular faces and adapted to be driven between the members to force them apart and a tool in which the neck end of the plug is inserted to hold said plug while being placed in a boiler tube.

2. In combination, an emergency plug for boiler tubes, consisting of two semi-cylindrical members having one end reduced in size to form a neck and having their inner faces formed on an angle, a wedge co-acting with the semi-cylindrical members engaging the angular faces and adapted to be driven between the members to force them apart, and a tool adapted to engage the neck portion of the plug to insert said plug in a boiler tube, said tool consisting of two side bars having integral jaws, means for holding the sides parallel and means slidably mounted between the sides to act as a hammer for driving the wedge between the semi-cylindrical members.

3. In combination, an emergency plug for boiler tubes, consisting of two semi-cylindrical members having one end reduced in size to form a neck and having their inner faces formed on an angle, a wedge coacting with the semi-cylindrical members engaging the angular faces and adapted to be driven between the -members to force them apart, and a tool adapted to engage the neck portion of the plug to insert said plug in a boiler tube, said tool consisting of two side bars having integral jaws, a plurality of cross members mounted between the sides, each of said cross bars having a central opening therein and a hammer slidably mounted in the cross bars passing through the openings therein, said hammer being approximately the same length as the sides and adapted to drive the wedge between the semi-cylindrical members after the plugis inserted in a boiler tube.

4. In combination, an emergency. plug for boiler tubes, consisting of two semi-cylindrical members having one end reduced in size to form a neck and having their inner faces formed on an angle, a wedge 00- acting with the semi-cylindrical members engaging the angular faces and adapted to be driven between the members to force them apart, and a tool comprising two side bars, a jaw carried by each of said side bars, cross members having central openings therein mounted between the side bars and a hammer approximately the same length 100 as the side bars slidably mounted in the cross members, said hammer adapted to drive the wedge into place while the plug is still held between the jaws of the tool.

a A tool for inserting the described 105 emergency plug in a boiler tube, consisting of two parallel side bars, a jaw carried by one end of each of the side bars, cross members mounted between the side bars each of said members having an opening therein 110 and a hammer slidably mounted in the cross members passing through. the openings therein.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature in the presence of two 115 subscribing witnesses.

AXEL T. ANDERSON.

\Vitnesses WILLIAM H. Ross, E. E. NICHOLAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

